19 hours ago, patti said:Ah. Gluten-free. To everyone who truly requires a gluten free diet, let me say that I would’ve been more than happy to accommodate your needs. But this story is about someone who just wanted attention. She’d made requirements clear beforehand, so I made sure the hotel prepared her meal.
Dinner started with a salad, and she asked me to identify the ingredients in every dressing choice. This was my first sign. Any previous gluten-free people knew which dressing to order or request, depending on the severity of their issues. The kitchen manager helped her with this one, since I didn’t know the ingredients. Then came her main. “This is my meal? You couldn’t come up with anything more special than that?!” I was ready to point out her ingratitude, but again, someone from the kitchen who was nicer than I, offered an alternative.
Thus began the week, where every meal, except breakfast, was a drama meant to call attention to her needs. I called ahead to a diner to ask about what was in some of the menu items, then relayed that info to her. Not good enough. Once we were there she wanted someone from the staff to come out and relay the same info I’d already told her, making her the center of attention. At some point, I stopped worrying or paying attention to it, until lunch on the last full day of the program. She was seated several seats away from me when someone asked her what health issues caused her to go gluten-free. “Oh, none. I just thought I’d try it. This is only my second week and I feel better already!”
I'm thinking we need a super-sized "Pissed Off" emoji for this topic. This is where you need someone with the power to say, "OUT! Out, out, out! Here's your refund and a ticket home. OUT!!!". Wow.
And re: the first story - please know that spouses/family members/friends are often cringing at their antics. Substitute “Italian” for “Jewish” and add some patronizing “sweetness” and you have my maternal family.
